Rattling windshield pillar covers

2003 Honda Civic Hybrid.
This car is so quiet that the rattling from the windshield pillar plastic
covers is driving me nuts.
I thought there was something loose inside the pillar, like maybe an airbag
cable, but I've decided that it is the cover itself.
I complained about it on a service visit, but they couldn't reproduce the
noise ;-(
Now I can make it rattle by tapping against it with my fingers. It only
makes the noise under normal driving conditions at certain temperatures.
I'd like to glue or pad it, but I can't see how to remove the covers.
Is this simple, or should I take it back to the dealer?

 

Take it back as fast as you can. Don't let them get away with it.

My 2004 Accord has the same rattles (plus more) and its pissing me off. I'm
taking mine in soon as well.

 

yes, or you can slip some felt behind it, because thats all the dealer is
going to do. except their felt has an adhesive backing, and a fancy name-
"isolation tape"

 

How far can I pull it out? It looks like it tucks in behind the dash and
the piece coming over the door. I tried sticking a business card between
the windshield and the plastic, and that's a tight fit.

 

spake unto the assembled masses in

The car is still under warranty. If the rattle is bad enough, you can talk
them into keeping the car long enought to track down and fix the source
themselves.

If you want to solve it on your own, try to locate exactly where the rattle
is coming from and make a note of it. The trim is held in place with
plastic tabs that pass through metal spring clips inserted into the sheet
steel of the A-pillar.

Warning: The trim is FRAGILE and very EXPENSIVE, be careful not to break
it!

If you grasp the edges of the trim with your fingertipes and pull gently,
you should be able to feel more resistance where the clips are located. The
plastic will be springier *between* the clips. At each clip location, grasp
the trim firmly and pull sharply outwards.

The shop repair manual will give the exact location of all the clips by the
way.

The clip or plastic tab should pop out. Keep going until they are all free.
At this point you should be able to remove the trim and stick foam rubber
or felt where you think the rattle is coming from. Putting the trim back is
just a matter of putting it back in position and pressing each clip home
with your fingers.

Warning: Those plastic tabs are FRAGILE. Anytime you remove trim, you stand
the great risk that one or more of the tabs will break off, resulting in
even more rattles. Once they break off, you cannot fix them. Trim's not
really made to be removed these days.

 

I'd add that you can significantly enhance your chance of success by
doing this when it's warm. Don't go monkeying with it when it's 20
degrees outside.

Can you not sneak a little piece of foam in behind the trim without
removing it? I'd sure try that first. Leave yourself enough to pull it
out if it doesn't solve the problem; if it does, just trim it flush.
You don't need much material at all to significantly alter the
characteristics of the piece--when it resonates, etc.

 

It's really a choice of three:
1- fix it myself
2- take it back to the dealer for just this one item.
3- wait for the next scheduled service, when the car will be about 10
months old, if interior trim would still be under warranty by that time.

I have the shop manual, which shows the clips. I am not encouraged about
how easy it might be to pull the trim off. It looks like it goes down
below the level of the dashboard, or maybe it just flexes into that space a
little bit.

I don't like that possibility much at all.

I got that part ;-)

I think I'll take it in. That way if the trim breaks, it'll get replaced.
Maybe that's why they don't open it up unless they hear it.
The only question is "now or later".

 

Take it back to the dealer to fix - they fixed mine in one visit and
were very aware of the problem.

God Bless - Jorgy!
703-899-9747

 

spake unto the assembled masses in

You're a smart fellow. Warranties are handy things sometimes. Let *them*
break it.

 

Excellent suggestion and very relevant considering it's winter now. That
plastic will absolutely be very brittle in the cold. And the metal clips
will have contracted a bit and will grip the tab just a little bit harder.